Method of forming and rejuvenating bobbins



March 6, 1962 N. E. KLEIN 3,023,494

METHOD OF FORMING AND REJUVENATING BOBBINS Filed Sept. 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

NORMAN E. KLEIN ATTORNEY March 6, 1962 N. E. KLEIN 9 METHOD OF FORMING AND REJUVENATING BOBBINS Filed Sept. 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENTO NORMA KL F/G'.9 BY a;

ATTORNEY March 6, 1962 N. E. KLEIN v METHOD OF FORMING AND REJUVENATING BOBBINS Filed Sept. 4, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 47 INVENTOR.

NORMAN E. KLEIN flw FM ATTORNEY United States 3,023,494 METHOD OF FORMING AND REJUVENATHNG BOBBINS Norman E. Klein, Pendleton, S.C., assignor to Deering Milliken Research Corporation, Pendleton, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 4, 1957, Ser. No. 681,929 5 Claims. (Cl. 29-401) This invention relates to bobbins for holding yarn or the like, and more particularly to an improved method of rejuvenating bobbins, particularly bobbins which are to be employed for carrying yarn which is contractable and which causes the exertion of a substantial compressive force on the barrel of the bobbin thereby tending to cause an annular crack, gap, or groove to be formed between the barrel and the end flanges attached to the barrel.

In the textile industry a popular type of bobbin has been one which is commonly referred to as an Ironhead bobbin. This bobbin is normally constructed of a one piece barrel and two separate end flanges joined to the ends of the barrel and held thereagainst through the medium of a center tube which extends along the length of the barrel and is separated therefrom, the end flanges being frictionally secured to the tube through the medium of bushings each seated on the periphery of the tube and in a cup-shaped recess in the respective end of the end flange, with the barrel being seated on an angular shoulder formed on each of the end flanges. These bobbins have normally been constructed of aluminum or other suitable metal, and have served a beneficial use for conventional yarns where large radial compression forces were not exerted on the barrel and/ or when fine yarn was not wound thereon and which might become lodged in the cracks which might be formed between the end flanges and the barrel. However, this type of bobbin has been found unsatisfactory in its original form to serve as a carrier for yarns which contract while on the bobbin, such as nylon or the like, and particularly fine denier nylon yarns which tend to become lodged in cracks formed between the barrel and the end flanges as a result of compression on the barrel by the yarn mass wound thereon which causes the barrel to be pulled away from the end flanges thus forming an objectionable crack in which the yarn may become lodged, with obvious poor operational results being obtained therefrom in such instances. A large number of these bobbins of this type are presently in use and would serve to considerable advantage as a carrier for nylon, synthetics such as nylon, particularly fine denier nylon and the like, a considerable saving can be made in the industry if such cracks as have now been formed in these bobbins which have been so used can be remedied without requiring complete reworking of these bobbins or complete redesigning of the bobbins or otherwise substantially changing the bobbins as now existing, and if such bobbins can be suitably adapted to be sufliciently strong to retain their desired shape without the formation of further cracks or the like upon the winding of nylon or other similar yarns thereon.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a unique method for improving and adapting existing bobbins of the Ironhead type as described above to enable these bobbins as thus improved and adapted to securely and effectively carry nylon or other contractable yarn thereon, without resulting in formation of objectionable cracks between the barrel and the end flange, and whereby previously objectionable cracks will be removed and a smooth and even yarn carrying surface will be formed on the bobbin which will remain in smooth unseparated form during long, continued and repeated usage of these 3,ll23,494 Patented Mar. 6, 1962 improved bobbins which are rejuvenated by this unique method according to this invention.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a unique method of rejuvenating bobbins, and particularly bobbins having a hollow barrel and frictionally held end flanges thereon which tend to separate from the barrel and form cracks therebetween upon exertion of substantial compressive forces on the barrel.

In carrying out the foregoing and other objects according to the invention, in a preferred embodiment and method the invention briefly comprises the rejuvenation of previously used Ironhead bobbins, such as described above. According to this preferred method and embodiment, bobbins of this type wherein the barrel has been separated from the end flanges and yarn has become lodged in the angular cracks formed between the barrel and the end flanges, the method comprising briefly the forming, particularly as by boring, of three or more mutually aligned holes in each of the flanges at equally spaced apart radial positions between the barrel and the concentric bearing tube. Preferably one of the end flanges has its three or more holes countersunk to receive the head of tie bolts which are inserted therein, and which extend between the bearing tube and the barrel along the length of the bobbin and into the respective aligned holes formed in the opposite flange, these latter holes being tapped to receive the threaded ends of their respective tie bolts. The tie bolts are then tightened as through the use of a Phillips head or other suitable driving tool, with the heads of the tie bolts preferably being flat and flush with the end surface of the flange into which they are set. This step of inserting and tightening the tie bolts results in the pulling up of the end flanges into close adjacency with the respective ends of the barrel portion, and to this end the tie bolts are preferably disposed more closely to the barrel than to the central bearing tube. However, it is quite difficult if not impossible to bring the end flanges into complete'contact with the ends of the barrel and thus completely close the gap or crack which has been formed between the barrel and the flanges, due to the yarn which has become caught in most instances in the crack or gap formed between the barrel and the flanges. To the end that this remaining small gap or crack will be closed, and also in order to form a smooth peripheral surface having a smooth juncture, preferably of slight curvature, between the barrel and the end flange and flanges, the bobbin is then rotated while a swaging tool of special and unique design is employed thereon to close this gap or crack and also to form a desirable smooth continuous surface on the barrel adjacent and at the junction point between the end flange and the barrel. In effecting this swaging action the tool is moved angularly and the effective contact surface of the swaging tool moves longitudinally of the barrel while the contact surface of the swaging tool with the end flange remains in contact with the end flange and moves radially thereof. This action effectively provides for substantial compression forces to be exerted on the metal of the barrel and that portion of the end flange which adjoins the end of the barrel, thus resulting in an effective compressing of the material particularly the barrel material adjacent the junction point to thereby close the gap and also to form a smooth peripheral junction surface which is tightly and smoothly joined together so as to effectively form a substantially continuous peripheral surface adjacent and at the junction between the barrel and the end flanges. In the process of the swaging operation the pieces of yarn which protrude from the cracks or gaps between the barrel and the end flanges are broken away and such pieces as are in the gaps or cracks are locked beneath the lip which is formed at the junction point at the peripheral junction point of the. barrel and the end flange. It will thus be seen that a highly useful and very strong bobbin is formed through this rejuvenating process, the added strength and resistance to separation at the junction point of the barrel and the end flanges as a result of compressional forces on the barrel by the yarn mass carried thereby being imparted by the tie bolts which are added inside the barrel and between the two end flanges, and the previously formed crack or gaps into which yarn has normally been lodged in the previous use of these bobbins being closed and effectively smooth through a unique swaging operation which effectively. forms smooth continuous surface at and adjacent the junction line between the barrel and the end flanges.

Still other objects and attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of a preferred method, apparatus and product according to the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an Ironhead type bobbin which may be rejuvenated according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of an end of an Ironhead bobbin having a slightly different barrel and flange junction which may also be rejuvenated according to this invention,

FIGURE 3 is a partially exploded view illustrating the tie bolts which are added according to my invention,

FIGURE 4 is a completed bobbin which has been rejuvenated according to this invention,

FIGURE 5 is a greatly enlarged partial radial section view, taken along lines 55 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged radial section view taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 7 illusrtates the swaging operation generally,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view illustrating the surface of the swaging tool,

FIGURE 9 is a partial section view looking in the direction of the broken line arrow in FIGURE 7 and illustrating the position of the swaging tool when it is at its substantially greatest angle with respect to a radial line extending through the point of contact with the barrel,

FIGURE 9a is a corresponding section view along the lines 9a-9a of FIGURE 9,

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 with the swaging tool being moved angularly toward a radially directed position with respect to the barrel,

FIGURE 10a is a view similar to FIGURE 9a and taken along the lines 10a--10a of FIGURE 10,

FIGURE 11 is a view taken in a direction similar to FIGURES 9 and 10 and showing the swaging tool in contact with the barrel at the center point of the swaging tool, extending substantially perpendicular to the tangent at tis point of contact with the barrel,

FIGURE 11a is a section view similar to FIGURES 9a and 10a, being taken along the lines Ila-11a of FIG- URE 11, and

FIGURES 12, 13 and 14 are views similar to FIGURES 9a, 10a, and 11a, as the invention is applied to the form of bobbin end illustrated in FIGURE 6.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawing, as seen in FIGURE 1 a conventional Ironhead bobbin 11 which is to be rejuvenated according to the instant invention, includes a metal barrel 13, preferably of aluminum or the like, and being tubular in form, the barrel 13 being fitted over a respective shoulder 15 formed on the inner faces 19a, 21a of each of a pair of end flanges 19, 21, which are also preferably formed of metal, such as aluminum or the like, as in conventional practice. This metal in conventional practice is preferably non-corrosive, in order to permit treatment of the yarn by corrosive materials such as dyestufls or the like. The connection be tween the shoulders 19a, 21a and the barrel 13 is conventionally a light press fit, and the end flanges are conventionally held in engagement with the barrel through the medium of an inner tube 23 which runs along the center of the bobbin 11 from one end to the other and has suitable retaining lips 23a formed on each end thereof. Press fitted onto the inner tube adjacent each end thereof is a metal plug 25, within which is press fitted a bearing tube 27.

Thus it will be seen that upon the exertion of substantial radial compressive forces on the barrel there will be a tendency for the barrel 13 to separate from the end flanges 19, 21 and form an annular crack or gap C therebetween sufllcient for the yarn to catch therein and thereby causing considerable trouble and expense in the use of these bobbins for yarn such as nylon or the like which is contractable when stored for a long period or when subjected to various heat or chemical treatments. As seen in FIGURE 5 particularly, this crack or gap C which is formed between the barrel and the end flanges may be of the order of one or two thousandths of an inch, and this is sufficiently large to cause considerable trouble through catching of yarn Y therein, particularly fine denier nylon or other synthetic yarn or the like.

As seen in FIGURES 2 and 6 there is also formed a gap or crack C between the barrel portion 113 and an exposed shoulder 129 which is sometimes formed in modified forms of bobbins 11' which may be rejuvenated according to this invention, the only difference between this type of embodiment and that shown in FIGURES 1 and 5 being the fact that the crack is slightly spaced from the inner face 11% of the end flange 119, whereas in FIGURES 1 and 5 the gap C is formed at the junction of the barrel and the inner face of the end flange itself.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the first step according to the present method involves the forming of three holes 31 at spaced intervals in the respective end flanges 19 and 2.1 of the bobbin 11 between the barrel 13 and the inner tube 23, the spaced apart holes being aligned With each other in both flanges and being spaced substantially close to the annular shoulder 15 on which each end of the barrel rests. This may be accomplished through the medium of drilling tools, and by employing a suitable jig (not shown) this operation may be accomplished in one substantially simultaneous step or operation. Next, the spaced holes;

and are pulled up tight through the medium of a Phillips;

head screw driver, thus resulting in the outer face of the heads of the tie bolts being flush with the outer face,

of the end flange 21, and the threaded ends 35b of the tie bolts being substantially flush with or slightly recessed from the outer face of the opposite end flange 19. This will provide a substantially strengthened bobbin construction between the end flanges and the barrel, and also will cause the end flanges to be pulled up closer to the ends of the barrel, thus tending to close to a degree the gap or crack C which has been formed therebetween and in which the yarn strands may be caught.

As seen in FIGURE 7, the bobbin is then placed in a bracket 37 which engages the two opposite protruding bearing tubes 27, and a peripheral drive roll 39 is rotated by any suitable means, not shown, to impart rotation to the bobbin 11 through peripheral contact with the barrel 13 of the bobbin. If desired, other suitable rotation imparting means might be utilized, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. A swaging tool 41 of special construction is employed by the operator to impart a swaging action and close the gap C at the junction point between the barrel and the end flanges and also to smooth the peripheral surface adjacent to and including this gap.

As seen in FIGURE 8 and FIGURES 9-11a, the swaging tool 41 has a swaging surface 43 which is varied from one lateral end thereof to the other. At the center ofthisswaging surface, as shown in FIGURES 1'1 and 11a, a tapered flat 43 is formed and a small radius rounded surface 43a of approximately one or two thousandths radius extends between the flat 43 and the tool face 41a which is substantially flat along the entire width of the tool. As seen in FIGURES and 10a the tool has a change of contour approaching the lateral end of the swaging surface. This contour has a more rounded angular swaging surface 43b when the tool is at the same longitudinal angle as in FIGURE 11, and as the tool is moved angularly away from a radial line or swaging point shifts longitudinally of the barrel from the corner or junction point between the barrel and the end flange toward the longitudinal center of the barrel. This change of contour is further carried out as the lateral edge 430 (FIGURE 9) edge of the tool is approached. As seen in FIGURES 9 and 9a at the extreme lateral edge of the tool the effective swaging is still further out from the inner face of the end flange. It will thus be seen from FIGURES 7-11a that the operator places the flat side of the tool with the flat face 41a facing the inner face of the end flange at the junction to be worked on with a slight angle being formed between the face 43 of the tool and the end flange, and through the angular rotation of the swaging tool away from a line perpendicular to the tangent at point of contact as shown in FIGURE 11 and toward the lateral edge of the tool as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 the operator will effectively cover a substantial surface area of the barrel periphery adjacent the junction point between the end of the barrel and the end flange. In exerting the concentrated force at these various points along this area on the barrel by the swaging surface 43 of the tool 41 the metal will be compressed and will be pressed into the gap or crack C which is remaining between the barrel and the end flange. Thu a small but effective lip 45 will be formed about the periphery of this gap C through the movement of the adjacent metal into this gap. Since the tool has a slight round 43a as shown in FIGURE 11 at its sharpest point there will be formed a somewhat complementary rounding 47 of the bob-bin surface at the junction between the barrel and the end flange, with the lip 45 thus being pressed into substantially contiguous or very nearly contiguous relation with the adjacent end flange face 19a or 21a, with only a very small, unimportant line, if any, remaining at the effective junction thus formed.

Upon the completion of the swaging operation at the junction point between the barrel at one end and the adjacent end flange, the operator may then reverse the tool 41 and place the flat face 41a in facing relation with the opposite end flange 21. The operator may then perform substantially the same operation on this opposite end of the bobbin to swage the barrel surface and the adjacent end flange and form a smooth substantially continuous junction surface. As an aid to forming these surfaces the bracket 37 which supports the bobbin may have a transverse support bar 49 (see FIGURE 7) which extends across the length of the bobbin 11 outside the outer periphery of the end flanges 19 and 21 and upon which the swaging tool 41 may be rested to insure smooth even operation by the operator. The operator may rest the tool upon this bracket and merely move the swaging tool vertically about a pivot point formed by this bar 49, keeping the end 43 of the swaging tool 41 in contact with the periphery of the bobbin 11 adjacent the crack or gap C formed at the junction between the barrel and the end flange.

As illustrated in FIGURES 12-14, the end of the bobbin of FIGURE 6 may also be rejuvenated according to this invention with the same swaging apparatus and method as shown in FIGURE 8, and it is an important feature of this invention that the crack or gap C may thus be effectively closed and smoothed at and adjacent the junction point through the use of this method and apparatus, irrespective of whether the gap or crack lies directly at the inner face of the end flange or slightly spaced therefrom by the formation of a shoulder on the end flange which forms a portion of the yarn seating surface. As seen in FIGURES 12-14 substantially the same tool positions are shown as in FIGURES 9 -1 la, and as will be seen in these figures the swaging tool 41 effectively bears against the area on each side of the gap C and at the gap, thereby effectively closing the gap through the formation of two adjoining lips a, 1451: which are formedby the pressing of the metal into this gap C from the adjacent areas of the shoulder 129 of the end flange and the end of the barrel 113. Thus, as in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 9-11a, the gap C' is effectively closed and a smooth peripheral joint of substantially continuous surface is effectively formed and an improved, structurally sound and strong bobbin is thus effected through this method according to either of these constructions.

While the invention has been described with reference to several specific illustrations, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and accordingly the invention is not to be limited by these specific illustrations, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. The method of rejuvenating bobbins having a barrel and two opposite end flanges, each flange having an axially inwardly facing cylindrical portion over which the respective adjacent end of the barrel is fitted wherein a small peripheral gap is formed between said barrel and at least one of said end flanges, broken yarn being disposed in said gap, comprising exerting an axial compressing force on each of said flanges in a direction toward one another, rotating said bobbin about its longitudinal barrel axis, and subjecting the material on either axial side of said peripheral gap to radially inwardly directed pressure while rotating said bobbin, to displace said material from either side of said peripheral gap into said gap.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said axial compressing force is effected on said end flanges by forming at least three equally spaced mutually aligned holes in flanges, tapping the holes in one of said flanges, countersinking the holes in the other flanges, and inserting complementary taperedheaded tie bolts into said tapped holes and tightening said bolts to thereby partially close said gap prior to subjecting said material on either side of said gap to radial pressure.

3. The method of rejuvenating bobbins having a barrel and two opposite end flanges, each flange having an axially inwardly facing cylindrical portion over which the respective adjacent end of the barrel is fitted wherein a small peripheral gap is formed between said barrel and at least one of said end flanges, broken yarn being disposed in said gap, comprising exerting an axial compressing force on each of said flanges in a direction toward one another, rotating said bob-bin about its longitudinal barrel axis, and subjecting the peripheral material on at least one side of said gap to radially inwardly directed pressure while rotating said bobbin, to displace said peripheral material into said gap and thereby substantially close said gap and form a peripheral lip over said yarn and smooth the peripheral surface adjacent and including said gap.

4. The method according to claim 3 wherein said radial pressure is exerted through the medium of a hand manipulated curved nosed tool, the bobbin engaging surface of said tool being moved both longitudinally and transversely of said bobbin barrel peripheral surface during rotation of said bobbin.

5. The method of forming bobbins having a barrel and at least one end flange secured to said barrel, said end flange having a cylindrical portion over which the adjacent end of the barrel is fitted, the respective interfacing faces of said barrel and end flange having at least a partial peripheral annular gap therebetween, comprising ex- 7 e'rting an axial compressive force on each of said flanges toward one another, rotating said bobbin about its longitudinal barrel axis, and subjecting the peripheral material on at least one lateral side of said gap to radially inwardly directed pressure while rotating said bobbin, to displace said peripheral material into said gap and thereby substantially close said gap and smooth the peripheral surface adjacent and including said gap, said radial pressure being applied to a minor portion of the circumference adjacent said gap compared to the circumference of said barrel adjacent said gap while rotating the bobbin about its longitudinal axis to bring the entire circumfer- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,503,671 Tallman et al. Aug. 5, 1924 1,589,414 Mossberg June 22, 1926 1,944,380 Vance Jan. 23, 1934 1,971,649 Furman et a1 Aug. 28, 1934 2,150,392 Mossberg et a1 Mar. 14, 1939 2,681,025 Bogner June 15, 1954 2,832,130 Harvey Apr. 29, 1958 

